Subject: Beauty and a beast Geographic location of the bug: Nova Scotia, Canada Date: 07/19/2018 Time: 05:41 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Hi Bugman! I was recently working on stream habitat assessments and ran into a gorgeous spider. I believe it’s a fishing spider (six-spotted?), but I’m not certain and was hoping for some confirmation. Isn’t she (maybe a he…) a beauty?? … Here’s hoping! How you want your letter signed: Many thanks, Van

Six Spotted Fishing Spider and Stonefly Nymphs

Hi Van, We are going to split Beauty and The Beast apart for posting purposes. The spider does appear to be a Six Spotted Fishing Spider, but we are not certain of the species. The other insects on the rock appear to be Stonefly larvae.

Subject: Identify Geographic location of the bug: Virginia Date: 06/11/2018 Time: 04:05 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Need help figuring out what this is How you want your letter signed: William clarke

Giant Stonefly

Dear William, This is a Giant Stonefly in the genus Pteronarcys and here is a BugGuide image for comparison. Also known as Salmonflies, Giant Stoneflies have aquatic larvae known as naiads that are found in freshwater streams, so we suspect you live near a creek or river.

Subject: ID for large net-veined winged insect Geographic location of the bug: Gardenton, MB (southeastern MB) Date: 02/16/2018 Time: 04:57 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: This insect showed up on my deck on June 12, 2012, in the tall grass-aspen parkland eco-region. I wish I had more info. None of my searches have come up with anything close. I sure hope you can help solve this mystery! How you want your letter signed: Laura

Salmonfly

Dear Laura, Giant Stoneflies in the genus Pteronarcys are frequently called Salmonflies. Despite there being no reports from Manitoba listed on BugGuide, since the surrounding provinces have reports, we would deduce that the range of the Giant Stoneflies also includes Manitoba.

Thank-you so much, Daniel! I’ll be looking up more info on the salmonfly now Laura

Very cool. The Roseau River is only a 1/2 mile away and it has a rocky bottom, so that’s where it came from. I’ll be looking for larvae when the water’s low enough.

Subject: South BC bug, similar to the insect image on your website Location: South BC August 19, 2017 6:29 am Hi there Bugman, My mate found this insect in the river in south BC. I’ve been looking everywhere online to find out what this insect is. Not much result! However, the closest thing that has come up is the picture on your website right under “TOP TEN” on the left side bar. Could you please tell us what it is? Thanks mucho and much bug love! Sway Signature: Bugman

Stonefly Naiad

The image on our homepage is an Earwig, and though your creature shares some similarities, they are not closely related. Your insect is an aquatic nymph, the naiad of a Stonefly. Your individual looks very similar to this BugGuide image submitted from Alberta, Canada.

Subject: Aquatic bug?! Location: Glacial river, base of mt Rainier July 31, 2017 8:24 pm Hello! We were out playing in a very cold glacial river at the base of Mt Rainier in Washington state and came across these guys today. There were hundreds of them on rocks in the water, but only a few this sprawled out and large outside the water. Signature: Alexa

Stonefly Exuvia

Dear Alexa, Your images document two different, unrelated aquatic insects. The image of the one “sprawled out and large outside the water” is actually the exuvia or cast-off exoskeleton of a Stonefly, and the “hundreds of them on rocks in the water” are Caseworms, the larvae or naiads of Caddisflies. Larval Caddisflies are known as Caseworms and according to BugGuide: “Most species live in a mobile case constructed from plant material, algae, grains of sand, pieces of snail shells, or entirely of silk. The case is held together with strands of silk secreted by the larva. In some species the case is attached to a rock, log, or other underwater surface; a few species have no case and are free-living.” The cases on your individuals appear to be constructed using grains of sand or small pebbles.

Related posts:

Subject: Fish fly? Location: Minnesota May 30, 2017 9:49 pm Hi! I’ve found 3 of these in the last 3 days in my home and am wondering what they are. They’re roughly 2.5″ black and gray with multiple sets of wings. They’re quite loud when they fly and quick on their feet. I do live next to a river and have seen them outside but this is the first time I’ve seen them in my home. Signature: DJ

Stonefly

Dear DJ, This is not a Fishfly. It looks more to us like a Stonefly, another insect with an aquatic nymph that is found near water.